METRO DIGEST || Columbiana engineer employees get raise

Columbiana engineer employees get raise

LISBON (AP)

Employees in the Columbiana County Engineer’s Office will be getting a 38-cents-an-hour pay raise under a new 18-month contract, retroactive to April 1.

The collective-bargaining agreement negotiated between county Engineer Bert Dawson and his union employees was submitted to county commissioners, who declined to make a decision either way. Under Ohio law, all union contracts involving county offices must be presented to commissioners. Commissioners have 30 days to act or the contract automatically takes effect without their approval.

About 29 engineer employees are covered by the union contract, but Dawson said it has been his policy to grant the same raises to his 13 nonunion employees and the 11 people who work under him in the county water and sewer department.

Man faces charge of domestic violence

BOARDMAN

A township man faces a felony domestic-violence charge after an incident at his Southern Boulevard residence.

Police responded to the apartment Sunday, where the victim told police the father of her children had assaulted her.

Charged is Lance Costello, 38. The charge was elevated to a felony due to a previous domestic-violence conviction, according to a police report.

Costello is due to appear today in Mahoning County Area Court here.

East Liverpool schools to open, despite strike

EAST LIVERPOOL

The school board says district schools will be open Monday, the first day of classes, even if teachers go on strike.

The East Liverpool Education Association, which represents the teachers, wants a new contract and has threatened to strike if a new agreement is not in place when school starts. The union issued an intent-to-strike notice to the board Thursday.

The board said Monday it will hire substitute teachers and rent and purchase any equipment to ensure school starts as scheduled.

Overpass collapse

SALEM

The Ohio Department of Transportation expects a bridge project to be delayed after a mishap Monday.

According to The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, ODOT officials said 150 yards of concrete fell from the West State Street bridge-replacement project, or about 15 dump-trucks full of concrete.

Crews began work at 4 a.m. Monday, and after pouring concrete, a portion of the overpass gave out and collapsed.

The area that collapsed was about 150 cubic yards and will delay the project two weeks, meaning the bridge will reopen in mid-November.

Missing 17-year-old

LISBON

Columbiana County officials are seeking help in finding a teen missing since Thursday.

According to The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, the Columbiana County Department of Family Services is searching for Austin Shutler, 17. He is in permanent custody of the department.

He left there with a black duffle bag and possibly was wearing a white T-shirt and red basketball shorts with the letters “AND1” on them.

Austin is white, with green eyes and sandy blonde or brown hair, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighs about 139 pounds. Anyone who has seen him or may have information is asked to call the county department at 330-420-6619 or Help Hotline at 800-427-7767.